Jack is 22 1/2 months and it really is only the last 2 weeks where we are like when did you learn to talk
I have friends in my mums group with kids who turned 2 in may, jul and august and TBH Jack is probably the clearest of the lot, I think a lot depends on the child and what outside intereactions they have
for example my nephew goes to childcare 5 days a week he is 2 1/2 yrs has been going since 6 mths and he talk amazing well...but we think that is because he is in care IYKWIM!!!!
I am sure he is fine ... one day he will start talking and you will be like us
Ah yes. My DS also had mama and dada by the time he was 8 months but I never expected him to be an "early talker" as such because he was never a very vocal baby. But that's just his personality...a still water than runs deep, if you will.
My MCHN was all bent out of shape at DS' 18 month check because he didn't have the minimum 5 words they're supposed to have. She wanted me to take him for a hearing test. I told her that he was fine, he could hear me and what's more he could understand what I said, he just wasn't talking. But I took him anyway - he passed with flying colours.
But I was pregnant and emotional and now paranoid so I took him to a private speech pathologist for an assessment.
The speechie told me that DS' understanding, listening and attention was exactly where it should be but for whatever reason he wasn't making the effort to communicate. She said that speech therapy was warranted but I could try some exercises at home first for a month - which I opted for. This basically involved making sure I spent some time (like half an hour, more if I could stand it) each day dialling back the way I spoke to him to one and two word sentences - she said that although he could understand what I was saying, he didn't have a hope of being able to copy. I should also try to play copying games with him which would help him understand communication.
Well...this did not go down AT ALL well. DS seemed to figure out what I wanted him to do and would either get annoyed or embarrassed - he didn't want to perform. At the same time I had all these people telling me about kids they knew who didn't talk for ages and then suddenly burst out with whole sentences or whatever. So I really wondered if I was worrying over nothing or not. We were moving house too so it all kind of fell by the wayside.
My mum in particular was very disparaging of the whole speech therapy thing and told me that I didn't talk till well over 2 and neither did my brother and sister. It was the first I'd heard of this and I was very interested to hear this...I had been asked by the speechie if there was any family history of "late talking" and I'd said no. So here's the thing...there may be a genetic factor involved. And I was very good academically at school and always top of the class in spelling, reading etc...so that gave me some comfort that DS was not "slow" as such.
So I decided to try not to worry about it until after he was 2. Apparently a child is not labelled a "late talker" until they are 2 or older.
DS is now 22 months and it is quite literally in the last 3 weeks that he has suddenly come out with new words. We are praising him to the skies at the moment to encourage it - he is now well past the 18 month minimum requirement. I have been trying to speak more simply to him but I haven't been making a huge effort...I do really think it is just "his time". If he can manage some two syllable words and/or perhaps link 2 words together by the time his 2 year check rolls around I don't think we will cause the MCHN any further concern!
However...another little girl in my mother's group had her first words okay and then suddenly regressed...went for a hearing test and it turned out she had a bad ear infection and in the end needed grommets.
I would say that your MCHN will be concerned and want your DS to have a hearing test and then go for an assessment with a speech pathologist. (I went private, it cost me about $200 for the assessment but for me that was worth it for the peace of mind). Waiting lists can be quite long for public speechies so be prepared for this. However, it's worth asking your parents or your DH's parents what their kids were like with talking...if they were late or not, as I have been told more than once that this can be a factor. Also...I believe there is more cause for concern if the child doesn't seem to understand what is being said or cannot follow instructions.
I know how hard it is, there is a little boy in my mother's group who is 2 weeks younger than DS and talking rings around him.
I have another none talker here.... Have been planing on taking her to the MCHN but have been a bit slack.... my DS has this also didnt speck until he was 3 but all is ok now... I was told with him they didnt normally see his type of delaide speech unles the child was a sib not normal the 1st... So I recon that is what DD2 has as her sibs are alway talking for her and telling other people what she wants or what she said.... which of course isnt incuraging her to speck for herself....
You can alway ask for a 2 yr assement.... see what happens....
Really, they are all different, and boys generally tend to be a bit slower at talking than girls (some would say they never catch up ). My first DS was talking really early and using 8 word sentences by 2. My second DS is turning 2 next month and can say some basics like mummy, daddy, please, ta, open, bye, "me do it", "give me" etc, but not much else. I used to be really worried by this, but I am constantly being reassured by the carers at day care and other parents etc that he is normal and it's just that my first DS was talking unusually early. I think the most important thing by this age is that they are understanding, and able to obey simple instructions. If they can do that, and by 2 1/2 have about 50 words and put 2 words together they are ok.
But if you are worried, it doesn't hurt to get an assessment done. You can get a referral to a speech pathologist from your GP. If it will give you peace of mind it might be worth it. GL.
My DS is 22 months and he only says mum, dad and nard-nard(his fav teddy's name is Bernard). I'm taking him to a speech therapist next week, but only cause DD has some speech problems and i would like him assessed too just in case and if there a problem, to get onto it as early as possible.
DD2 was a slow talker & I was always worried about her.
I talked to everyone about it & everyone assured me that she would talk in her own time. I was comparing her to DD1 who was really early.
Anyway, after talking to an MCHN I gave up & felt reassured that she was OK. She was about 2 then.
Now she is 3 & still very unclear. We are waiting to see a speech therapist.
Drink is Din
Jesse is Jehee
Nikaly is Ni hi
Best friends is Beh wens
Jazmyne is Dammin
Monster is Monha
I think maybe give it a few months til he wants to talk & see how he goes. Don't worry if he is just quiet. But your MCHN should have a list of sounds they should be saying by a certain age. Ask her about it.
My brother said all the usual 1st words, then stopped speaking altogether.
Mum freaked & he went to numerous doctors & had 4 or 5 hearing tests done in about 8 months.
Then when he was 2 he started speaking in full sentences.
I mean he went from 'Mumma, Dadda' to 'Can I have a drink please?'
Mum near sh*t herself when he first said that to her!!
He just sat back & listened for a while.
Thanks for the replies everyone. My Ds has his 2year check next month (we're a bit late, couldn't get in any sooner) and i'll talk to the nurse about my concerns then. I think i've been scared to admit that he's a bit slower to talk because i don't want him to be labelled and in my eyes he's perfect.. is that silly? I remember at his 18month check the nurse asked me if he was saying 5-6 words and i said yes because i didn't want him to be labelled as 'slow' or 'behind'. He was saying 5-6 words but they were quite unclear (as they still are) and i wasn't sure how clear the words had to be or if it was just 5 words in general, clear or unclear. I know now i should have mentioned it to the nurse but i guess being a first time mum i wanted my boy to be perfect (well he IS perfect of course ).
I guess my main concern is that he doesn't say words clearly.. its like he knows the first sound of the word and then the end just trails off or he puts in a completely different sound.. for example his 'word' for dog is 'deeeeo' and muffin is 'muuuu'.
I think i'd feel better if we are referred to have his hearing tested because although he seems to hear properly i'm starting to wonder if thats the problem.
Most things i've read say not to worry until they reach 2.. but he's 2 now and not talking much so that makes me worry even more!
I guess i'll just see what the nurse says and go from there.
Bjrose- i didn't know about the list of sounds, i will definitely ask the nurse about that.
One more thing, my DS never 'found the beat'. I remember when the other kids in my mum's group started dancing and bopping to music at around 1ish but my DS just never seemed interested. He likes High 5 but only the opening song, but even then he doesn't dance he just smiles at the TV. I know he can hear it because when it comes on the TV and he's in another room he comes running in to the lounge room to watch it.
Do you think not being interested in music is related to not talking?
when did you learn to talk
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). My first DS was talking really early and using 8 word sentences by 2. My second DS is turning 2 next month and can say some basics like mummy, daddy, please, ta, open, bye, "me do it", "give me" etc, but not much else. I used to be really worried by this, but I am constantly being reassured by the carers at day care and other parents etc that he is normal and it's just that my first DS was talking unusually early. I think the most important thing by this age is that they are understanding, and able to obey simple instructions. If they can do that, and by 2 1/2 have about 50 words and put 2 words together they are ok.
).
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